Check Out These Chicken Butterfly Saddles!

Chicken Butterfly Saddles!

Life on the farm can sometimes be brutal!  I'm not referring to myself but to my poor little hens.  I've been out of commission for quite a long time recently, so my husband took up the slack of doing my chores.  And, I must say he did a wonderful job handling nearly everything by himself, along with the added burden of caring for me.  Around eight weeks ago I finally decided to go under the dreaded knife, and had a total hip replacement.  That was one of the best decisions I've ever made.  Dr. Bruce Cox at Shelby Bone and Joint worked his magic, and I'm pleased to say that I'm more pain free today than I've been for many years.

I said all that to say that before my surgery and also while I was recovering, my girls were losing their back feathers due to an extremely attentive rooster!  The first time I went out there after my recovery, I was shocked by their appearance, and didn't quite know what to do.  Of course, we removed the rooster from the yard and pen, but by that time, most of the girls had bright rosy pink backs exposed to the elements.  We all know what chickens do when they see red, right?  They peck at it!  With winter fast approaching, I needed something to protect their backs and to keep them warm until their feathers grew back.

I remembered seeing something on the internet for this purpose, and after some research, I found Louise's Country Closet.  A real lifesaver!  She has two types, the regular hen saddles, and the hen butterfly saddles which protect their wing tops as well.  Whichever one you need, go see her for a well made, good priced product.  I was dreading putting them on the hens, but it wasn't bad at all.  It took us both about fifteen minutes to get all ten saddles on the girls.  They didn't seem to mind it much, either.  The other hens were freaking out at the colors, but the ones wearing them seemed to be just fine.  Now, after just one day, they act as if nothing is different at all!

Okay, Old Man Winter, bring it on!  The hens of Cluckinghen Palace are ready!

Carpe Diem! Lil and Bill